ADDITIONAL From Linda M. Brown:Press conference and rally tomorrow 7/29/99 starting at 5:00 PM Princess Station in Minnehaha Park.
From Linda M. Brown - Mendota Community: (07/28/99)
Dear Friends, the last two days have been horrifying, they have arrested and brutalized over 40 people, the blatant discrimination and racism shown by the police is shocking. As you know Native American leadership was targeted yesterday for arrest, also they arrested an ojibwe elder who sat down to block traffic in the middle of the road, but when an elder of the white race did this they simply moved her back to the curb and did not arrest her, even though she told them that that is what she wanted to happen. This white woman is a nun who is very active in social causes and has supported us from the beginning of our occupation. A white supporter told me that she had been pushed out of the way by troopers, to get to two Native American women who were behind her. These women, a mother and her daughter were push down and arrested for no other reason than they are Native American. We watched as white people were allowed to cross the street to the side that the troopers were guarding and even stand and chat with the troopers for awhile, but when a young Native American warrior crossed the street with his staff, he was immediately surrounded by troopers and they tried to take his staff from him, claiming it was a weapon. They were told that the staff was a religious object and if they took it away from him they would be violating Federal laws. After a superior officer step in, the young man was escorted back across the street with his staff. Our people were not released until after 11:00 pm and some of them, including the elder were not released until 2:00 am. Today we were told that anyone who had already been arrested and came back to the protest site, would be arrested again and held for 72 hours without bail. This is a public park that has been turned into a police state. One of our supporters was there this morning and he was chased down and arrested again, without provocation. Two others have also been arrested and one young woman's head was slammed against the squad car. You will not read in the papers of the arrest and brutality of juveniles, 17 year olds, 15 year olds, and yesterday they assaulted a thirteen year old boy, four troopers jumped him and punched him in the mouth. He was taken to the hospital and never charged, they don't want people to know they are beating children who will stand up for their beliefs.
THEY HAVE MOVED THEIR EQUIPMENT ACROSS THE STREET TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE PARK AND ARE CUTTING THE TREES ALONG THE REROUTE, THEY ARE MOVING CLOSER TO THE FOUR SACRED TREES EVERY MOMENT. PLEASE SEND PEOPLE TO HELP US, THEY COULD BE THERE BY FRIDAY. Pidamiya, Love and Prayers, Linda
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Dear Friends, Minnehaha Park has been turned into a police state, yesterday Native Americans were specific targets, We called a rally at 7:am Tuesday morning and a ojibwe elder and others sat in the street to stop traffic. She was arrested along with 28 others . A white supporter told me that she was pushed out of the way so the troopers could get at two Native American women, a mother and daughter who were behind her and following police orders to move out of the street. Everyone arrested stayed in jail until after 11:00 last night, the elder was not released until almost two am, even though we made inquiries about her health, we had sent a lawyer into talk with her and he said she seemed disoriented, didn't know what day it was, or if it was day or night. The racism shown against Native Americans is extremely blatant now, no more Minnesota nice. A white elder who has been supporter also sat in the street to block traffic with three others she was picked up and moved back to the curb, even though she stated to the police she had intended to get arrested. This woman is a nun and well known for her social activism. They did not want her in jail, as this would have created a hugh uproar. the other three were arrested including a warrior who has been at the encampent for a year. A thirteen year old boy was attacked by at least four troopers and punched in the mouth, he was taken to the hospital and released without being charged. 17 year olds, 15 year olds, 13 year olds are being beaten for standing up for their beliefs. when will the madness stop. It was announced today that anyone who has already been arrested, cannot return to the park, which is a public park, or they will be arrested again and held for 72 hours without bail. One of the supporters who had been arrested on Monday and released was chased down this morning and arrested without provocation.
MNDOT HAS MOVED THEIR MACHINES TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE PARK AND ARE STARTING TO CUT TREES ALONG THE REROUTE, THEY ARE MOVING CLOSER TO THE FOUR SACRED TREES EVERY MOMENT. WE NEED YOUR HELP! BODIES, MONEY FOR BAIL AND LAWYERS, PHONE CALLS TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, ANYONE YOU CAN THINK OF, PLEASE HELP! Pidamiya, pray for us, Love Linda
Governer Jesse Ventura Phone: (651) 297-9500 State Capitol Building 75 Constitution Ave. St. Paul, MN 55155 mailto:Jesse.Ventura@state.mn.us Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg Phone: (651) 296-3000 Fax: (651) 296-3587 MNDOT 395 John Ireland Blvd St. Paul, MN 55155 Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton Phone: (612) 673-2100 350 S. 5th St. Minneapolis, MN 55415 U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone Phone: (202) 224-5641, fax (202) 224-8438 136 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington D.C. 20510 mailto:senator@wellstone.senate.gov Mr. Alan Steger Division Administrator FHWA Phone: (651) 291-6100 Sheryl Martin Galtier Plaza, Suite 500 175 E. 5th St. St Paul, MN 55101 Bruce Eberly Historic Preservatin Officer FHWA Phone: (202) 366-2060 C/O HEP -40, room 3240 Washington D.C. 20590 Ann Boland, National Register of Historic Preservation Dept of the Interior Phone (202) 343-9500 Box 37127 Washington D.C. 20013-7127 Bruce Babbit Secretary of the Interior Dept. of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington D.C. 20240 202208-7351 mailto:Bruce_Babbitt@IOS.DOI.GOV President William Clinton Phone: (202) 4565-1414 The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC 20500 MAILTO:President@whitehouse.gov Vice President Al Gore Phone: (202) 4565-1414 The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington DC, 20500 MAILTO:VicePresident@whitehouse.gov Janet Reno U.S. Attorney General Phone: (202) 737-5214 Justice Dept. 600 E. St. NW Washington,DC 20090
The Mendota are a non-profit organization and reciepts will be supplied for
those who request them. Send donations to:
Checks or money orders may be made payable to MMDC.
Mendota Medewakanton Dakota Community
PO Box 50835
Mendota, MN 55150
Contact numbers are Linda M. Brown - (612) 944-7290
FAX (612) 944-0105
or Bob Brown, Chairman - (612) 576-9686
FAX (612) 576-0632
We ask that everyone send what they can...be it money or supplies.
PLEASE HELP PROTECT OUR SACRED SITES!